


Surprise

by NorahBolt56



Series: Alternate Universe [7]
Category: Remington Steele (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 13:34:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18572524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorahBolt56/pseuds/NorahBolt56
Summary: In this part of my alternate universe (which follows on from Blast from the Past), Harry & Kate and Harry get a little surprise..





	1. Chapter 1

A few weeks after their escapades on her piano, Kate began feeling a bit off and when she happened to look at the calendar she realized her period was late. “Oh you’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered under her breath, wondering if she was pregnant again, only six months after having their daughter Niamh. She had gone back on the pill after giving birth to their daughter so she thought surely it must be a false alarm, although there was a niggling little doubt in her head, wondering if she’d forgotten to take it one time.

Just to be sure she picked up a pregnancy test later that day. Unlike when they were expecting Niamh though, Kate chose to do the test alone rather than with Harry - for two reasons really, firstly she didn’t want to get his hopes up if it was negative (which she was pretty sure it would be) and secondly,  if by some chance it was actually positive and she was pregnant again, she wasn’t sure how she would react. It was just too soon after having Niamh and after losing her mother a few months ago she was hardly in the right headspace to be pregnant again, Kate thought to herself.

“I’ve just got to pop upstairs for a moment,” she explained to Harry a little hurriedly as she ducked her head into the living room where he was watching a movie with their now fifteen year old son, Harry Jnr, sitting next to him and their six month old daughter Niamh, the apple of her daddy’s eye, sitting on his lap. “Sure Katie,” Harry replied a little absently as he was engrossed in the movie.

When Kate was in the bathroom by herself she took a breath then did the test. After waiting a few minutes she checked it to find two little lines showing. “Oh boy,” she exhaled as she shook her head a little, not quite believing it. She then felt a stab of guilt – she knew she should be happy that she and Harry had created another little life, another child to add to their little family, but it was just so soon after Niamh and her mother and everything and she wondered how she was going to cope.

After a while she decided she better share the news with Harry. “Ah Harry..can I borrow you for a moment,” she said as she came back down to the living room. “Yeah sure babe.. just hang on a sec, this is a really good bit,” Harry replied as he remained focused on the movie. “Harry..now!” Kate repeated with more than a little frustration as he looked at her, somewhat surprised. “Okay, okay, keep your knickers on,” he grumbled a bit, as Kate thought a little ruefully to herself, if only I had. Harry then handed Niamh to her big brother to hold, planting a kiss on her head as he did so. “Daddy will be back soon sweetheart – I just need to talk to Mummy about something.” He followed Kate upstairs to their bedroom, wondering what was going on.

“Okay Katie – what’s going on?” he asked, puzzled by the expression on her face. “Ah.. you better sit down,” she replied as he did so. Kate paused for a moment then said, “I’m pregnant Harry.”

At that, a surprised but nevertheless delighted expression crossed Harry’s face. “What?” he asked with a laugh. “Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m bloody sure Harry!” Kate retorted somewhat exasperated. “I just took a test and it was positive.”

“But how..?” Harry asked as Kate gave him a “are you seriously asking that question?” look. At that a grin crossed his face, “Well yes I know how but I thought you were on the pill..?”

“So did I,” Kate replied a little ruefully, “I don’t know – maybe I forgot to take one or something. Anyways it doesn’t really matter how it happened, the thing is it has happened Harry.”

“Done it again have I?” Harry quipped as his grin got a bit wider, feeling quite pleased with himself.

“Will you stop feeling so proud of yourself Harry!” Kate found herself snapping at him as he looked at her, quite perplexed by her reaction.

“But this is wonderful news Katie.. isn’t it?” Harry asked a little worriedly as he looked at the expression on her face, which looked less than happy. At that Kate focused her gaze on the ground, unable to look at him as she felt tears spring to her eyes, feeling so shocked and overwhelmed as she did.

“Why aren’t you happy Katie?” Harry then asked worriedly as he reached out and gently tilted her chin up to face him.

Kate shook her head a little, “Harry.. may I remind you how old Niamh is? She’s barely six months old – she won’t even be one and a half by the time I have this baby.”

“I know they’ll be close together Katie but we’ll be okay,” Harry reassured her as he placed a loving, protective hand on her belly, amazed and ecstatic that they were going to welcome another child into the world. “This little one is more than welcome. This is a blessing, as are our other two children,” he added with a smile as Kate nodded silently, trying to fight back her tears, and covered his hand with her own, trying to feel as enthusiastic as he did about their ‘little surprise’.    

 

As Kate’s third pregnancy progressed she found herself really struggling with it  - both physically and emotionally. She had suffered a bit of morning sickness with her previous two pregnancies but nothing like this, which didn’t make things easy. Her own ambivalence towards being pregnant again so soon after having Niamh also made her feel tremendously guilty. With both of her previous pregnancies she had enjoyed being pregnant overall, even though her first pregnancy with Harry Junior had been very much unplanned. And then with Niamh, she was very much planned and welcomed and she’d had Harry Senior by her side which made all the difference.  So she struggled to come to terms with her less than positive feelings abut this pregnancy, which were exacerbated by how crappy she felt physically.

Halfway through the pregnancy though, when the baby started kicking, Harry overheard her talking to the baby one day as he watched her from the back door while she sat outside in the sun. “I do want you, you know,” she said softly as she ran a hand over her belly, which brought a smile to Harry’s face. And as if in response she felt the baby kick again, which brought a smile to her face as well.


	2. Chapter 2

When her due date came and went though, Kate and Harry began to wonder if their third child was ever going to make his or her appearance, as he or she seemed quite content to stay put, much to Kate’s discomfort as she was feeling quite heavy and over it by that stage.  A couple of days before her obstetrician had scheduled to induce the baby, Kate and the rest of the family had just finished breakfast and their housekeeper Betty had just arrived to help out with some cleaning.

Kate had been feeling some pains since she awoke and as she tried to force herself to eat some breakfast she mentally started timing them in their head as they became more frequent and she realized she was in labour.  As one particularly strong contraction hit her she gasped involuntarily. “Everything okay Mum?” fifteen year old Harry Junior asked as he heard his mother’s gasp of pain and observed the grimace on her face. At that Harry Senior also turned around from where he sat feeding their toddler daughter Niamh who sat in her high chair, to look at Kate. “Katie? You alright?” he asked with some concern as she shook her head. “No not really - I think I’m in labour Harry,” she informed him as an excited grin crossed both his and their son’s faces. “How close are the contractions?” Harry asked as Kate couldn’t help him giving him an “Are you kidding me?” look. “Close enough,” she replied between gritted teeth as another hit her, then she added “I think we should get to the hospital.”

“Oh we don’t need to rush off just yet surely? You were quite a while in labour with Niamh remember?” Harry replied somewhat casually then added to their daughter as he continued to feed her, “Isn’t that right princess? Oh what a grand day that was the day you were born my girl,” as he smiled at her and she smiled her cute little smile back at him saying “Dadda.”

“Yes I do actually remember Harry seeing as I gave birth to her!”, Kate replied a little shortly then added emphatically, “Ah and hello…having another baby here!”

“Okay, okay, relax Katie it’s gonna be fine. I’ll just go grab my car keys. Junior do you mind taking your sister?” Harry replied as he took Niamh out of her high chair and handed her to her big brother.

“Don’t tell me to bloody relax Harry -  I’m in f…king pain here!” Kate exploded as Harry and the kids all looked at her, a little shocked by her outburst, but the rapid progression of her pain was starting to overwhelm her a bit – her previous two labours hadn’t been like this. 

At that Betty also came into the room with a concerned look on her face, asking Kate if she was alright then she turned to Harry, “I think you better do as she says and get her to the hospital as soon as you can Mr Chalmers,” the older woman advised wisely as Harry nodded.

“I think you’re right Betty,” he agreed as Kate exclaimed,

“Finally!” while shooting him a rather dirty look.

“Ah do you mind keeping an eye on the kids for us till I can get back?” Harry asked as she nodded with a smile.

“Of course – now get out of here. Good luck,” she replied as both Harry & Kate thanked her.  Harry Jnr hugged his mum as she hugged him back and planted a kiss on little Niamh’s head. Harry Senior then did the same but Niamh held out her hands to him, with tears in her eyes as she realized he was leaving. “Dadda!” she cried as his heart melted. “C’mon now princess -Daddy has to take Mummy to the hospital so we can meet your new baby brother or sister. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he reassured her as he gave her a quick hug and kiss and handed her back to Harry Junior then grabbed Kate’s bag and helped her out to the car.

He drove steadily to the hospital but not fast enough for Kate’s liking as her contractions started coming faster and harder. “Will you stop driving like an old Grandma and put your foot down for Christ’ sake Harry!” she went off at him as he shot her a slightly annoyed look but couldn’t help grinning as well as the thought of welcoming their third child into the world.

“Alright, alright settle down Katie,” he replied in what he thought was a soothing voice but that only set her off again.

“Oh piss off Harry and stop grinning will you!” she snapped as he shook his head at how different she was being this time round as compared to when she had given birth to Niamh. Then he had been the panicked mess and she had been the cool, calm & collected one.

Once they got to the hospital Kate was taken into the labour ward where they were met by her obstetrician. “So baby number three has finally decided to make their appearance hey?” he greeted them cheerfully but the look on Kate’s face was anything but cheerful.

“Apparently so - now when can I get an epidural?” she asked between contractions as the doctor examined her.

“Kate I’m afraid I can’t give you an epidural if you’re going to give birth naturally – you’re too far along already,” he replied as she swore as another contraction hit her.

“Not again - are you kidding me?!” she demanded as the same thing had happened when she had given birth to Niamh, as the doctor nodded.

”I’m afraid so. I can give you some pethidine or gas  to take the edge off the contractions but that’s about it,” he offered.

“C’mon Katie – you got this. After all you’ve done it twice before,” Harry stated trying to sound encouraging as she fixed him with a death stare. 

“Don’t you bloody tell me I’ve got this Harry! How the hell would you know? Have you ever given birth? No! So I suggest you shut up!” Kate yelled at him as the doctor tried not to smirk at the look on Harry’s face and said to him under his breath, “If I were you mate I’d do what she says.” Harry nodded and wisely shut up, and instead held her hand, and wiped her brow.

As the doctor felt her swollen belly a look of concern crossed his face which both Kate and Harry noticed. “What’s wrong?” Kate demanded as the doctor looked at them.

“The baby’s in the breech position – that is, it’s positioned feet first rather than head first which isn’t ideal. Looks like he or she wants to hit the ground running,” he tried to make a joke to lighten the atmosphere but only Harry laughed at it as Kate glared at the two men.“So what does that mean?” she asked.

“Well we can try to turn the baby into the correct position, which I warn you won’t be particularly pleasant for you. Or if that doesn’t work we’ll have to do a C-section to be on the safe side I think,” the doctor informed them as both she and Harry looked a little worried.

“Okay do what you have to do,” Kate replied as the doctor nodded. After a little preparation, he and the midwife then started trying to manipulate the baby into the right position as Kate alternated between crying out loud and swearing in pain. Harry looked on as he held her hand, suddenly feeling quite overwhelmed as he’d never witnessed her in so much pain before and it was killing him to do so, feeling helpless to ease it. “It’s okay Katie, it’s gonna be okay,” he whispered, not knowing what else to say as she practically broke his hand she was gripping it so hard.

After a few tries the doctor said, “Well doesn’t look like that’s going to work I’m afraid – looks like you’ve got a stubborn little one in there.”

“You don’t say,” Kate panted, sweat pouring off her as she gritted her teeth in pain and groaned.

“Just like their mamma eh?” Harry couldn’t help but quip in an attempt to lighten the moment, his nervousness and worry getting the better of him, but Kate didn’t appreciate the comment much.

“Oh shut up Harry – you’re not helping,” she snapped as he immediately looked contrite and apologized.

“Sorry Katie- I’m so sorry,” he murmured, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him and not knowing what else to say as he tenderly kissed her forehead, knowing he could trust his actions to speak better than his words sometimes. The guilt he was feeling wasn’t just from what he’d said – it also came from seeing her in so much pain which he felt responsible for, seeing as he had got her pregnant so soon after having Niamh. He knew that was a bit irrational, after all it took two to make a baby, but he knew she had been less positive about this pregnancy than he had. And then there was that niggle of guilt he always felt that he hadn’t been there for her when she gave birth to their eldest child, when she had to go through the pain of childbirth without him.

“So we’ll have to prep you for a C-section Kate. Nurse – can you take Mr Chalmers and get him into some scrubs,” the doctor instructed as Harry looked surprised.

“I’m coming into the operating theatre with you?” he asked as the doctor nodded. “But won’t you put Kate under for that?” he asked a little nervously as the doctor shook his head. “No she’ll be awake throughout – we’ll give her an epidural so she won’t feel any pain of course. But you want to be there to see your third child make their grand entrance into the world don’t you?” the doctor asked as Harry nodded.

“Oh yes of course I do – I wouldn’t miss that for anything,” he replied sincerely as he squeezed Kate’s hand and they exchanged a meaningful glance. He then followed the midwife into an adjoining room while Kate was quickly prepped for surgery.

Once he’d got some scrubs on Harry took a deep breath then followed the midwife into the operating theatre, finding the scene before him somewhat confronting. He tried to just focus on Kate and not the doctor or three nurses busily preparing things, or the doctor’s instruments or the bright lights overhead. “How you doing Kate?” the doctor asked as he busied himself on the other side of the screen that was suspended across the top half of Kate’s stomach, hiding him and what he was doing from their view.  “Bit better now you’ve given me that epidural,” she replied, trying to sound brave but Harry noticed the telltale catch in her voice.

“Good,” the doctor replied, then added, “Okay you’re just going to feel a bit of pressure now but if you feel any pain you let me know straight away.” Kate nodded as she squeezed Harry’s hand for support.

“It’s going to be okay Katie – we’re going to meet our new little one very soon,” he whispered soothingly, as he tried to control the tremor in his own voice. As he had a surgical mask covering his mouth Kate couldn’t see Harry’s smile but she could see it in his eyes and that gave her the strength she needed.

“I know – I just want he or she to be okay,” Kate confessed as tears came to her eyes, both out of worry and guilt over her initial less than happy reaction to being pregnant again.

“I know, so do I  – and they will be,” Harry reassured her. Then, his curiosity getting the better of him he peeked over the screen for a moment and then immediately wished he hadn’t, as his face paled and he immediately felt a bit queasy.

“Are you alright Mr Chalmers?” one of the nurses asked as she noticed him swaying a little on his feet.

“Ah yes.. I’m fine,” he replied quickly as Kate shot him a look.

“Don’t you dare faint on me Harry! I need you!” Kate warned him as he nodded.

“No of course not Katie,” he reassured her as he gulped a little and tried to fight off the queasy feeling.

“How about you concentrate on that side of the screen Harry and I’ll concentrate on this side hey?’ the doctor said with a laugh – Harry wasn’t the first father he’d seen get a bit queasy when observing a C-section. “Right you are doc,” Harry replied with a nervous grin as he focused on Kate and she gripped his hand even harder.

And then in a matter of moments they heard the first cries of their newborn child. “And here he is – congratulations you have a boy,” the doctor announced with a smile as he delivered the baby boy, and tears of joy and relief sprang to both Kate and Harry’s eyes.

“Is he okay?” Kate asked worriedly as a midwife brought him to them.

“He’s fine - perfectly healthy. And he’s got a good set of lungs on him,” the midwife said with a laugh as he continued to cry loudly. “Here he is – say hello to your new little boy,” she said as she handed the little brown haired infant to his mother, as his parents both looked at him with tears of joy streaming down their faces. As soon as he was placed in his mother’s arms he calmed down and stopped crying, his little eyes finding hers as Kate laughed gently through her tears, “There you are you little monkey who gave your mamma such a hard time. Oh look at him Harry he’s beautiful! He looks just like you, and Junior when he was first born too!”.

Harry proudly looked at their newborn son and taking his mask off he lovingly placed a kiss on his little head and one on Kate’s as well. “He certainly is beautiful- welcome to the world son,” he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. “Looks like he’s a mamma’s boy already,” he added with a smile as he watched their baby boy curl his little fingers around one of Kate’s. Kate nodded as she sobbed, all her initial misgivings and the pain she had gone through giving birth, completely forgotten as she looked at her little man and immediately fell in love, just as she had done with his big brother and his father.

“What are you going to call him?’ the doctor asked after he’d finish stitching Kate up.  Harry looked at Kate and said “I guess we go with your idea eh?’, as at that moment, after watching what she’d just been through, he would have given her anything.

“Well I think Keiran sounds a darn sight better than Humphrey!” Kate laughed then added as she ran a hand lovingly over their baby boy’s head. “And he looks like a Keiran – don’t you little man?”

“Keiran it is then,” Harry replied with a laugh as the doctor looked at him and said, “Humphrey? Seriously?”

At that Harry grinned a little ruefully as Kate shook her head. “I’m a Bogart fan – what can I say?”

At the doctor laughed and replied, “Well welcome to the world Keiran – lucky for you your mother got her way.” With that one of the midwives took little Keiran, who immediately started crying again once he was out of his mother’s arms, and cleaned him up then dressed him and wrapped him in a blanket then said to Harry, “Would Daddy like to hold him?”

“I sure would,” he replied as his lopsided grin spread from ear to ear and as he looked at his and Kate’s newborn son in his arms his tears fell – both with happiness and with regret that he had missed this special moment with their first born son. “Happy birthday Keiran,” he whispered gently as his son’s blue eyes met his for the first time. “Now I know I’m not as good as your mamma, but I promise you son I will be here for you whenever you need me, for the rest of your life,” he said with a smile as Kate smiled at ‘her boys’ as well.

Harry, beaming with love and pride then handed him back to Kate and kissed her, saying softly, “Thankyou Katie – for giving me the gift of another child. I love you and I love him and Jnr and Niamh so much.”

Kate smiled as she ran a hand along his cheek, “You’re welcome. And I’m sorry I went off at you so much – I was a bit crazy with the pain I guess. But now he’s here and he’s healthy, that’s all that matters. And I love you and our children so much too,” she replied then added seriously, “But I’m not doing this again Harry – three’s enough don’t you think?”

At that Harry grinned at her, “Let’s have that conversation another day eh Katie? Right now let’s just enjoy our new son shall we?”

“Oh we will have that conversation Harry,” Kate replied determinedly as the doctor caught Harry’s eye and said, “Word of advice Harry – don’t argue with a woman who’s just given birth,”, then he added to the both of them, “Now Kate we’ll get you and Keiran moved into a room in a bit – we’ll leave you and Harry to get to know your son for a little while.”

Kate and Harry nodded and thanked him and the midwives as they left them alone for a little while. Harry and Kate just watched Keiran for a while as he snuggled into his mother, the two of them marvelling at how far they had come from those two kids in Brixton – now here they were, years later with three beautiful children and they couldn’t be happier..


End file.
